ferret
n. countable B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈfɛɹət// UK //fˈɛɹɪt// fer·ret
n. a small, thin animal with a long body and soft fur that is often kept as a pet. People sometimes use them to hunt rabbits or rats.
n. a domesticated carnivorous mammal of the weasel family, typically having a long body and used for hunting or kept as a pet.
The ferret slept in its cage for most of the afternoon.
Because of their flexible bodies, ferrets are excellent at chasing pests out of narrow tunnels and holes.
While traditionally used for pest control on farms, the ferret has become a popular domestic companion due to its playful nature and high level of social intelligence.
From Middle English furet, ferret, from Old French furet, from Vulgar Latin *furittum (“weasel, ferret”), diminutive of Latin fūr (“thief”).
From Italian fioretto.